


inverse / esrevni

by rottencloset



Series: bottom damian wayne week 2020 [4]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU, DCU (Comics), Nightwing (Comics), Robin: Son of Batman (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Batkids Age Reversal, Character swap, Damian Wayne is Nightwing, Damian Wayne is Robin, Dick Grayson is Nightwing, Dick Grayson is Robin, Dimensional Displacement, Duke Thomas is Lark, Duke Thomas is Signal, Eventual Smut, Getting Together, Jason Todd is Cardinal, Jason Todd is Red Hood, M/M, More tags to be added, Multi, Reverse Robins AU, Tim Drake is Red Hood, Tim Drake is Red Robin, robinpile
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:55:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27651668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rottencloset/pseuds/rottencloset
Summary: Dimensional displacement is- for lack of better words- abitch.But, as the Gotham vigilantes find out, sometimes there’s a silver lining.
Relationships: Tim Drake & Dick Grayson & Jason Todd & Damian Wayne, Tim Drake/Dick Grayson/Jason Todd/Damian Wayne
Series: bottom damian wayne week 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1994908
Comments: 10
Kudos: 85





	inverse / esrevni

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KittyinShadows](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittyinShadows/gifts).



> once everything is settled down the boys will be referred to as the below for clarity’s sake but this first chapter is a bit of a mess- sorry! the names that come first will be more common::
> 
> rr!damian = dami or hafid  
> rr!tim = drake or timothy  
> rr!jason = todd or jay  
> rr!dick = grayson or richard  
> rr!duke = thomas 
> 
> the canon boys will just have their own names (dick, jason, tim, damian, duke)
> 
>  _::inverse — esrevni::_ means universe switch as well by the way.
> 
> shoutout to kat for being both a source of inspiration and a beta reader :)))

Damian is there one second, and in the next he is not. Everyone is so caught off guard that no one even _moves_ , not even when something- _someone_ \- else appears. The person standing there is much older than him, but with a similar build if not a little taller and thicker, and gold trimmings on their uniform as well. 

“Well,” they say, and blink rapidly in succession a couple of times, gaze drifting up and down as they inspect the vigilantes frozen around them. “That was unusual.” 

Dick springs into action first. 

He tackles the newcomer with ferocious intensity and slams them down onto the ground, electric escrima sticks sparking as he crosses them over their throat to hold them down. “ _Where is he?”_ Nightwing snarls, teeth bared. 

There’s only the faint crackling of his weapons for a couple of seconds before the cape’s mask squints. “...Grayson?” they ask, and Dick’s too much of a practiced vigilante to flinch but the family sees how his back tenses. “I have no idea who that is,” He seethes, and shoves down on their throat, hard. “Now _answer the question.”_

In seconds- almost too quickly to see- Dick’s flipped over and pinned by strong thighs straddled around him and hands held above his head. 

Red Robin steps forward. “Get off of Nightwing, or so help me god,” he warns, Batman an intimidating shadow behind him. 

“Nightwing?” they say, voice layered with… _something,_ and cock their head to the side. “ _This_ man is not Nightwing.” 

Dick abruptly attempts to reverse the pin once again, but he’s ruthlessly slammed back down with a move so brutal they all either wince or growl at. Red’s just about to issue one last warning, his hand subtly signaling Batman to take the perp down when he rushes him, but their resident anti-hero stops everything in place when he raises his free hand upwards. 

Hood slowly holsters his weapon.

“I think there’s been a mixup.”

The figure tsks, and they all freeze. “Tt.” 

They _know_ that sound. That sound belongs to their missing bird, so that must- that must mean-

“No shit, Sherlock,” they- he??- drawls, but their grip on Nightwing loosens the littlest bit. “Universal jump, I suppose?” 

“Maybe,” Jason hedges, his hands still raised as a show of peace. “How about you get off our guy there and we can figure this out together.” 

They don’t move for a solid minute, and that’s when he pulls out the big guns. It’s an educated guess, a stab in the dark with only his instincts and skills to guide him, but he follows through anyways. 

“ ...right, Al Ghul?” 

The person- Damian’s _?-_ hands tighten around their eldest impercibibly and he turns his head to fully look at Red Hood, cocking it to the side. “Now,” he says, voice breathy, “how would you know that?” 

“Get up off of our birdie there-” He jerks his head at Dick- “And _maybe_ I’ll tell you.”

Consideringly, the eye lights on his mask narrow, and he huffs quietly. Everything stays still as they all wait and watch to see if he’ll comply, and after a long, dragging moment Batman rumbles warningly and looms closer. 

“Hrn.” Damian grumbles, but fluidly rolls off and away so he’s just out of reach. “Where have your manners gone, Batman? Or in this universe can you only grunt threateningly?” Tim has to swallow back a hysterical laugh while Jason simply barks it out through his helmet, static crackling at the volume and force of it as he walks over to Nightwing as cool as a cucumber. 

“Oh, this kid’s got _jokes.”_ He says, and helps Dick up, who only glares at Hood and dusts himself off; the vigilante is still visibly tense and worked up, and they all know it’s because _their_ Robin is still gone. 

The- _heh-_ replacement stands up fluidly, all grace and long, lithe muscles, and very obviously runs his gaze over each and every one of them, looking at them from the tips of their toes to the top of their heads; he misses nothing, like the predator he is, but the words that fall from his mouth are deceptively light hearted. “The only joke here is your life,” he snips, and rocks back on his heels. 

Duke chokes on a laugh.

“Damn,” Jason says after a moment of silence, “ouch.” 

He huffs out a bit of laughter. “And I am no kid,” he continues, “ _I’m_ Nightwing.” 

_::inverse — esrevni::_

They don’t notice, at first. Nightwing was famous for slinking away into shadows and disappearing with nigh a trace, so when they see that empty spot they just sigh and huff fondly, and Robin pouts, crossing his arms. He’s just about to call out for him, hands cupped over his mouth to make his voice louder-

Then. 

A scruffy teen quite literally pops into existence and promptly collapses.

Cardinal blinks, looks down at the mess of crumpled fabric and armor that lies on the ground. “Uh.” 

Frowning, he points at it. “I know weird shit happens to Nightwing all the time, but-” He’s interrupted by a hand on his chest, Lark shoving past him uncharacteristically roughly and pushing him and Robin back. “Hey!” Jason snaps, but Lark ignores him, eyes blazing yellow as he stands protectively in front of them. Not that they can see it, of course, but the bright glow is telling. 

Behind them, someone drops from the nearby fire escape with an audible _thump_ . “Ooh,” He coos, and stalks forward. “Something happened to the big, _bad_ bird, hmm?” 

Lark doesn’t whip around, surprisingly. “Red.” Said vigilante steps out into the light, clad in his Red Robin uniform, and smirks as he leans against the streetlight. Duke’s voice is level as always, and instead of confronting the occasional vigilante / anti-hero / whatever the fuck he was, cautiously walks a bit closer to the lump that replaced their eldest.

“You see what happened?” Tim snorts. “No. I saw the same thing you all did.” He pushes off of the street lamp and walks towards where the person is as well, and Cardinal pulls Dick behind him protectively. Red doesn’t say a word, but he most definitely leers at them both as he passes by, and for the tiniest moment a smile twitches across his mouth and approval glints in his eyes- he’s _glad_ Jason doesn’t fully trust him, he realizes, and even though he did the right thing he feels like he failed. 

Red withdraws his bo-staff and flicks it out with a snap of the wrist, then prods it against the teen lying prone on the ground. “Oh my god,” Dick mutters under his breath, sounding slightly awed but also scandalized, “rude.” There’s no movement. 

He pokes them again, even harder. Nothing. 

Then the ballsy son of a bitch crouches down and rolls them over before Lark or any of them can even protest. Tim pauses. “Well, shit,” He says. 

Duke creeps forward until he can see their face as well. “I- hm.” 

Slightly confused and extremely curious from those reactions, Robin and Cardinal skitter around the two of them and peer down, brushing back the hood. 

Dick’s eyes immediately round. “Oh.” The other responds seconds after. 

“Well, that’s not good.” 

Below them lies a much younger version of Damian, lips slightly parted as he breathes steadily and face slack, totally unaware and dead to the world. 

He’s angelic, he’s asleep, and he’s a _teen._

He’s also not theirs, judging by the uniform and the _R_ emblazoned on his chest. 

**Author's Note:**

> wandering traveler, will you perhaps leave a comment for the weaver of this tale? ive heard it increases their inspiration and drive to complete more :0
> 
> (as always im on twitter under the same username or at rottencloset.carrd.co for more links n such)
> 
> real quick too- should duke be more involved or less involved? im considering making him only have a platonic relationship in both universes or be part of the robinpile, if more distant tho. opinions?


End file.
